Weighing-scale.



M. H. HANSEN.

WEIGHING SCALE,

APPLIGATION FILED rs1a.z1,19m.

1 ,1 1 6,268, Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 4 ,4 NORA/E Y MARIUS H. HANSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WEIGHING-SCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21, 1914.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Serial No. 820,219.

Tu (ll-t ho, it li/iH/WW 7' Be it known that l, ll'lsinus ll, Hansen, ii citizen of the United F tntcs, residing at spring occupy a vertical position, as the in (Jhicago, in the county of Hook and State of Illinois, have invented illl'l new and useful improvements in o dung-Scales, of which the, following a spe mention.

The. iiresent in'ventiiu'i relates to that class of spring weighing tiles: in which there is a beli -filly coiled spring. one end of which is anchored either directly or indirectly to some fixed resistance and the other end of which is comic led. either directly or indirectly to movable part ciirr ving A hook. pen, plnti orni or other de ice for receiving the article to he weighed, connection joins tho spsit :in intermediate point Whirl: nniv he varied to vary the length of the acti e portion of the neetion between its point of connection with the spiingr and the point of connection with the lived resistance, all as shown and described in my p darted Uctoher 2. dated April 2, 1907.

The invention relates particularly to the construction of the universal joint mentioned.

In the" scales shown in the two prior patents aforesaid, the anchor connection has a stem and a cross-head connected by what is the equivalent of a hell and socket, or universal, joint that will permit of the universal movement of one member of the joint rehitively to the other and thereby permit of the universal lateral movement of the spring, wherel'iy it is permitted to accommodate itselfv to the line of strain put upon it by the loud, and avoid any lateral strains that would result in error In the scales shown in the prior patents aforesaid and also in the scale selected for illustrating an embodiment of the present invention, the universal joint is shown as being or occurring between the ,stem and cross head of the anchor connection, but so far as the present invention is concerned this particular location of the joint is not essential. On the contrary it may be formed between any two parts intervening between the spring and its ultimate fixed support or resistance. Nor is it essential that the vention relates solely to the construction of the universal oint. I

The ob ect of the invention is to simplify and cheupen the construction of this unij versal oint and to this end the cross-head,

which forms one member of the joint has through it a non-circular opening, preferably of elongated, substantially rectangular, shape the lower end of the, stem is of corresponding non-circular shape and passes loosely through the opening of the cross-head, sullicient clearance being left be- 1 tween the cross-head and n0n-circular porand which au hor 1 tion of the stem, on all sides, to permit of their free relative universal movement 1 laterally with respect to the stem, and the non-circular portion of the stem, below the v cross-head. is provided with a perforation .i and in which a, universal joint is inter osctl somewhere in the anchor eonin which fits the bent portion of a U-shaped hey, the straight parallel portions of which 1 extend downward and fit closely a ainst the Patents No. 6123M? i898 and No. 8455,7405

sides of the non-circular portion 0 Y the stem while the outer surface of its curved portion bears against the under surface of the crosshead.

The invention consists in the features of novelty that are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing,

which is made a part of this and in which;

blglll't: l is a front elevation of a suspensicirspring weighing scale embodying the invention, it portion of the front of the easing being omitted. Figs. and 3 are a side elevation and an end elevation respectively of the stem and cross-head and the improved universal jointconnecting them. Fig. 4 is an axial section on the line 4-4, Fig. 5, showing it djiu'ent portions of the spring and sleiu and the cross-head connecting them. Fig. 5 is an axial section of the same parts on the line 5-5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is 11 perspective view of the non-circular lower end of the stem and the U-shaped key, separated.

At 1 is shown the case of a suspensionspring weighing scale having a helically coiled pendant spring, 2, with one end of which is connected a movable part,in this instance a vertical draw bar, 3, carrying a hook, 4, a pan or other device'for holding the articles to be weighed; The pointer, 5, derives its movement from this movable specification ipart draw-bar through the medium of suitable mechanism, such for example as that shown in my aforesaid former patents, or any other mechanism.

The stem, shown at 6, is made of a slender rod or a piece of stout wire of round cross section, the upper portion of which is screw threaded as shown at 7, and engages a nut, 8, which rests upon the top of the casing, l, which forms a fixed resistance so that by turning the nut in one direction or the other the stem is bodily moved upward or downward and the spring 2 ut under more or less initial tension as Wil appear hereinafter. The lower portion of thestem is subjected to the action of a press by which it is flattened to produce a non-circular portion, 9, of generally rectangular shape in cross section. This non-circular portion passes loosely through an. opening of corresponding shape formed through a cross-head, 10, which preferably is shaped and arranged as shown and described in my former patents aforesaid. That is to say, enough clearance is left between the non-circular portion of the stem and the cross-head to permit of their universal relative movement laterally with respect to the stem and the outer portion of e cross head is helically pitched at the same angle as the coils of the s tween adjacent convolutions of w ich said helical portion fits, the cross-head being of greater diameter than the spring so that its periphery may be grasped between the thumb and finger for turnin it relatively to the spring, whereby it is advanced along the spring, screw fashion. To permit of this arrangement of the spring and cross-head, the latter is provided with a radial notch, 11, of suflicient circumferential length to span the wire of one convolution of the sprin ring, be-

where it crosses the plane of said helic portion.

The cross-head preferably, though not necessarily, has in its under side a curved concavity or socket, 12, which may be formed by dies and this socket is occupied by the bent upper end of a U-shaped part, 13, herein called a key, preferably made of a piece of wire of round cross sectional shape, bent to form. The bent or curved portion of this so-callcd key passes through a perforation, 14, formed through the non-circular portion, 9, of the stem and this key performs not only the function of a key connecting the stem and cross-head, but also the function of one member of the universal joint, the other member of which consists of the crosshead, which, as before stated, preferably has the curved socket, 12.

The bend of the key provides a curved 1 surface lying in one plane, for contact with the cross head and the round cross sectional shape of wire of which the key is made provides a curved surface lying in another plane, perpendicular to the first, for contact with relation to the stem,

with the cross head, thus providing a universally rocking bearing similar to that of a ball and socket joint, although with less frictional contact surface between the cross head and stem. This permits of an absolutely free lateral bodily movement of the spring, allowing it to accommodate itself to the line of strain produced by the load and relieving it of any lateral strain that would produce error.

The parallel portions of the U-shaped key lie flat against the sides of the portion, 9, and preferably extend beyond its lower end, and are of equal length, although these details are not essential and the perspective of Fig. 6 makes the one last named appear not to be so.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fixed resistance, a spring and means connecting the spring with the fixed resistance, said connecting means having a stem and a universal joint,|said universal joint having a part, orming one member of the joint, and having an opening throu h which said stem passw freely, clearance eingleft between them to permit of their universal relative movement laterally and a U-shaped part carried by the stem and forming the second member of the joint, the outer curved surface of the U-shaped part contacting with the first named member of the joint and providing a rockin bearing.

'2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a helically coiled spring, a stem, and a universal joint between them, said joint having a cross-head, engagin the spring, constituting one member of the oint and having an opening through which the stem passes, and a U-shaped part carried by the stem and constituting the second member of the joint, the curved outer surface of the bent portion of said U-shaped part having contact with the cross head, forming a rocking bearin 3. In a evice of the class described, the combination of a helically coiled spring, a stem, and a universal joint connecting them,

said joint having a cross-head, engaging the spring, forming one member of the joint and having an opening through which the stem passes freely, clearance being left between the cross-head and stem, a U-shaped part carried by the stem and constituting the, second member of the joint, the stem hav ing a perforation through which the bent portion of said U-shaped part passes and the curved outer surface of said bent portion having contact with the cross-head, forming a rocking bearing.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a helically coiled spring, a stem, and a universal joint connecting them, said joint having a cross-head, formopening through it throughwhic ing one .member of the joint, having. 11. helical portion fitting between the con: volut-ions' of t1'ief -spring and having an the stem passes freely, clearance being iet-U between the cross-head and stem, and a. U-shapei'l part, madejof Wire of' round cross sectional shape, carried by the stem constituting v the second member of the joint, the stem having a perforation'thi-ongh which the bent portion of the U-sh'aped purl. passes, and the curved outer surface of said bent; portion having contact with the cross-head, forming a rocking bearing.

5. In a .device of the class described, the combination of a heii'caliy'coiied spring, a stem having at one end a portion of '0biong, substantially rectangular, shapein crosssection, and auniversal joint connecting hea (1 being them said joint having'a cross-head having a heiicai. portion fitting between the conveiutions of the spring and having an oblong opening through which the oblongporzi i of the stem passes firee ly, clearance being left between the cross-head and stem, and Ushnped part made of Wire of round 0m sectional shape, carried by the stem, the

semi having thmugh'its oblong portion-m perforation tirghgh which the bent port-ion of. the U-slia ed part passes, and the crossprovided with a curved soeket with which the curved outer surface of said. bent portion contacts, forming a rocking hearing.

MAni sn. HANSEN.

\Vitnesses: I

HARRY W. Mons, L 3V. Hummus. 

